Out of the Cold
by Spryte Magnus
Summary: Trying to dodge the Alliance, the Serenity's crew drift into Federation Space. When there they take on 73 bits of Cargo and find themselves in communication with the Enterprise, and a potentially deadly man on board. Fortunately, they also have River, who sees every move six steps ahead. But she also seems unwilling to work with them...
1. Chapter 1

"Well, they worth anything?"

Mal rolled his eyes at Jayne's question, as he often did. Since Miranda, smuggling had been more difficult. The Alliance had an eye on them at all times. Or they were trying, so they'd been avoiding the Core Planets. As a result they were in the first Solar System after a long trip. Turned out the United Federation if Planets didn't run as tight a ship as the Alliance. They'd found seventy-two oddball units of some form on a lower deck of a ship heading around Jupiter. Kaylee had hopped out in the shuttle, playing a damsel in distress, and eventually got to those decks and cut them off. While the ship's crew was in confusion, Kaylee had gotten to transporting the goods. The thing was they now had 73 items they couldn't quite identify, and their mechanic had been caught by the Enterprise's crew.

"I ain't analyzing them until we get Kaylee back, Jayne." Malcolm growled.

There wasn't a soul on board who wouldn't have traded all the money in the verse to get Kaylee back. Simon was freaking out, having finally gotten together with her. The captain doubted it would last. Sure, he supposed they were cute, but he didn't think they had long term potential. They were from two different origins, even if Simon Tam was less stuffed up then when they met. Zoe had taken over the cockpit, trying to open up a communication channel. River Tam wasn't far from her at any time, keeping a better eye on her condition then Simon. The widow was pregnant, and the journey to the Federation planets had taken her to seven months. Seven months since Wash perished suddenly in what Mal had thought might be all of their last stand. Since they sent out the truth of Miranda and the reavers.

Finally a video feed turned on and Mal winced. He could see it had a central command, and a rather cocky looking young man leaning on his arm in the captain's chair. The crew wore the same uniform. Black pants and shirts of various colors. Red, blue, and yellow it seemed like. In truth, yellow seemed the least common. The Captain was wearing this. And Mal did not like how his eyes wandered from Zoe to Inara standing to the side. The Companion had always been close to Kaylee, and her getting nabbed was something she wanted to fix.

"Ah, hello there!" Mal leaned forward to turn on his own video feed and speak with the dirty blonde man in the room that seemed all too bright. "I'm Captain Malcolm Reynolds. It seems our ship's mechanic wound up on a shuttle that ejected. Little adorable thing, goes by Kaylee?"

"She's arguing with our mechanic about our engine and the best way to relay." The man groaned. "I'm more concerned about our missing Cargo."

"Cargo?" Mal cocked a brow. "Don't think I got a name."

"Captain, scan's reveal they're in a Firefly craft ship. A favorite of smugglers. Stands to reason they might have stolen the pods."

A strange looking man in a blue shirt came up beside the captain, and Jayne blanched.

"The sam hill happened to his eyebrows?" He exclaimed.

"I was more worried about his ears." Mal tilted his head.

"...That's a vulcan!" Simon erupted. "I didn't know that the Federation had any..."

"Pointy eared bastard is only half." The man in the yellow shirt waved his hand. "I'm Captain James Tiberius Kirk of the Starship Enterprise. We suspect your mechanic, easy on the eyes as she may be, was in cahoots with you to steal are cargo. Now I get you're smugglers, but let me tell you. What you took has no monetary value. We were on a mission to transport rather dangerous cargo. We need those pods back. And then if she'll get off my ship, I'll beam your mechanic back to you."

The idea of Kaylee fangirling over the other ship brought a smile to Mal's face, but it faded.

"Dangerous." He repeated. "Sir, we don't have a beamer. Or whatever. We have a cargo bay. Manual loading only."

"Pods."

River had been as if one with the cockpit, unmoving and almost invisible in her seat. Now she was standing up, dressed in her blue dress and a pair of boots. "Those are Cryogenic Pods." And then she was running out. Mal winced as he turned back to the screen.

"Let's say we have a slightly unstable psychic eighteen year old who has had bad experiences with cryogenics and knows where we keep the power tools. How bad will it be if she opens one of those?"

"Give us clearance to beam some of our men down right now." Kirk said, his expression shifting from dull or almost bored to downright uneasy. "And tell us where the pods are so we can cut her off, transport them back."

"You got a good number in there?" Jayne snorted. "Little River may seem meek but she can take out an army if she tries."

"Ah..." Mal laughed awkwardly. "We stuck them in all sorts of odd ball nooks and crannies. Naming any one place may be...difficult."

"Then I hope that girl's as fierce as that man in the stupid hat." Kirk frowned. "Or you've got one hell of a situation."


	2. Chapter 2

The lights were dimmer then the Enterprise. That was the first thought Khan had when his cryogenic pod finally opened. He wasn't sure when they'd put him back. He sat up slowly, skin still chewed as his eyes scanned his surroundings. He seemed to be in an enclosed...

"Smuggler's cache."

The words were offered by a female voice he didn't know. He turned calmly and spotted her. Young, perhaps a teenager, sitting at the edge of the pod. It seemed she had been the one to open it, judging by the fact that she was still tapping the control pad. He was wary, unsure of where he was or who she was at this moment. Perhaps a quick solution was in process. If he could reach her, a knock out would be easy enough. If she struggled he could easily crush her head, she seemed frail...

"I'll stop you before you get within a foot if you come at me with violent intent." The dark haired girl spoke it calmly. "I only wanted to help. I would have let the others loose but I don't think the ship can handle 73 additionally crew members. We can barely handle the few we have sometimes. I just...I've been in cryogenic sleep. It's terrifying. All you know is cold and darkness. And then you wake up, no idea where you are, only that it's so cold. You're lucky. I was naked when I came to. If my brother hadn't been nearby I probably would have hurt someone in my fear too."

"I am not afraid." Khan stated, frowning.

"Not for yourself. Now that you're out and not on a Federation ship you're positive you'll be fine. But you're worried about your crew. Your family. The other seventy-two." She sighed. "I...believe I can help you. And them. But you aren't allowed to take this ship. This ship is filled with my family." Her eyes fell on him and the girl spoke calmly. "I'll know every action you take before you do. And if I think you are going to hurt one of my family I will stop you. Are we clear?"

Kahn could hardly believe how arrogant this girl was. Yet she did seem off. Somehow she'd know his thoughts several times without his speaking them. New voices joined the scene and took his thoughts off her.

"River, get away from there!"

"Jayne, get Vera ready, Kirk said one of these is considerably more dangerous then the other, and the odds are 72-1 that's the one River opened. When you count in the River factor, the odds are not in our favor!"

A dark haired man in a vest. Clearly not a combat type. He was calling out to the girl. There was a man in a long brown jacket with brown hair. He'd been talking to the brute with the woman's name, and had cited Kirk. Kahn frowned, quickly assessing the situation. A pregnant black woman was approaching, armed with a shot gun. None of these guns were modern. The one Jayne held was the most dangerous. The others had old guns. Jayne was the one to target.

He was planning it calmly, quickly, more rapidly then a human could keep up with. One swift move to Jayne, a punch to his low back. The gun would be his. The captain would have to go next. He didn't believe the man in the vest would pose a threat. He didn't take particular pleasure in the idea of hurting a pregnant woman, but if she got in his way (and after he took out the first two she likely would) it had to be done. The plan complete, he swung his feet out of the pod and moved toward position.

He'd completely forgotten about River until she swung a kick into his gut. He fell back, surprised, and moved to punch her. She dodged it with ease, side stepping with time to spare, and spun so she was behind him. Her arms were thin, frail, but when she jumped on his back she knew how to sling one over his neck to subdue him. He growled, backing toward the wall to crush her against it, but she was up. She was virtually standing on his shoulder upside down with one hand, the other looped and cutting off air. Kahn couldn't understand how this simple girl had felled him, but she released the grip once he began to slump.

"I'm not simple." She stated calmly as his consciousness faded. He could hear the man in charge in the brown coat talking to the girl.

"Gwai-gwai long duh dong, River?" And then the darkness. At least it wasn't cold this time...


	3. Chapter 3

James T. Kirk had been the one to suggest they move the cryogenic pods with Khan and his people off world for safety. Of course, he wouldn't let anyone else do it. Three months earlier, Khan had been responsible for his death (and subsequent return). He had killed many men, including a man who'd given Kirk the push and chances he needed to claim his destiny. In truth Kirk would have been quite happy if something had happened to Khan's pod, but the fact that it would have only woken him up stopped him from doing anything.

They'd been in the process of transporting sed dangerous cargo when they intercepted a shuttle they thought was in danger. It had turned out to be a smugglers trick, and the girl on board had done more then steal Scotty's heart. She'd teleported all 73 pods out of their cargo bay and into a smuggler's craft. Where it sounded like one of the crew members was thinking of letting them all out. Needless to say, Kirk was unsettled.

After far too long, Malcolm Reynolds finally reappeared on the monitor, covering his eyes slightly.

"Wow, you've got a shiny command deck. My mechanic all right?" He demanded.

"She's in a holding cell, safe and sound." Kirk replied. "And the cargo?" He added.

Malcolm's body language did not set him at ease. The man shifted, rubbing his hands together before looking down.

"Good news. Our girl did not pry open all of the pods." He stated with a strained smile.

"And the bad news, Captain Reynolds?" Kirk demanded, leaning on his arm.

"Well she did open one of pulled it apart partially so we can't reinstate it." Malcolm stated. "The data read him as...Khan Noonein Singh, I think the Doc said? Simon's checking him out now, but we don't think River hurt him too bad..."

"Khan?!" Kirk's entire body went rigid. "73 Pods to pick from and your crew member unleashes the most dangerous of the people within?"

"Did you just say you don't think she hurt him too bad?"

Bones's voice interrupted from the side, the science tech in his blue shirt to the side of the room.

"Yeah, River took him out before any of us even realized he was looking funny." Mal raised a brow. "Why, something I'm missing, Captain Kirk?"

"What did she use to do it?" Kirk snorted. "I'm hoping something sharp."

"Ah, girl was bare handed. I'm getting the feeling you don't much like this fellow." Mal raised a brow.

"You could say that." Kirk stopped. "...River is that tiny thing who slunk away before, right?"

"Ninety pounds of fun." The gorilla called Jayne rang from off screen.

"That is correct." Mal replied.

"And this ninety pound twig of a girl knocked out Khan Noonein Singh?!" Kirk exclaimed in disbelief.

"I did. He would have hurt people I cared about."

River Tam appeared again and this time Kirk took a good look, trying to assess the woman who'd taken out Khan. What he saw was a girl, maybe in her late teens. She was petite with dark hair, dressed in a dark blue dress with that clung to her lithe form. She was barefoot this time, and Kirk couldn't imagine how a girl with such skinny arms had successfully knocked out Khan.

"I cut off airflow long enough to render him unconscious." River answered as if reading his mind. "Jumped on his back and pressed my arm to his neck. He is presently asleep, though not in cryo. It occurs to me 73 additional people on board is quite the burden to any ship, so his crew will remain dormant until we reach Miranda."

Mal knew from River's tone she'd already made the decision, but he groaned.

"River, honey, we can't go to Miranda. Not again. Zoe is pregnant and we don't have any sort of weapons on the ship. Besides..."

"You're returning that stolen cargo!" Kirk exclaimed. "Or I am fully authorized to have you and your crew arrested!"

"No. I am not." River's face was on the monitor and it was as if she was looking dead at Kirk. Her face was calm, cool, collect, and terrifying. Her expression reminded him far too much of Kahn to leave him comfortable.

"You are not my Captain, James Tiberius Kirk." The girl replied. "I do not follow your lead. I have made a decision. If you wish to escort the Serenity out to Miranda, it would greatly be of assist. I glimpsed inside Kahn's mind and I understand why you are uneasy. But Miranda is cut off from most of man kind, on the outskirts of Reaver space. Normally I'd say the planet is not wise to settle, but given their nature I dare say any Reavers who stray won't be a problem, and I'd wager they're immune to any pax that may still be in the air. Miranda has no human population any more, nor operational space craft. Kahn and his crew will be safe, secure, and perhaps rehabilitate. The land is terraformed, there is already vegetation. There's any number of places between here and there where seed for farming or livestock could be acquired."

"Rather altruistic." Mal sighed. "And I suppose neither Kirk nor I,"

"The captain of this ship!" Kirk cried out.

"What he pointed out astutely, the captains of this ship have anything to say about it?" Mal added, facing River carefully.

River Tam exhaled and faced Mal, more or less ignoring Kirk now.

"I have decided I am going to help seventy-three people find a place in the Universe. People who will otherwise be trapped in cryogenic sleep until god knows when. Like I would have been if you had not woken me that day two years ago."

Malcolm had to pause when he realized she was right, it had been about two years since he took the Tams into his crew now. They hadn't been easy or smooth years, either. Admittedly if he forced River to find alternative means of transport with this Khan fellow, she might be out of his hair. In truth, he'd be sad to see her go. But it also wouldn't have shocked him in the least if her response was to somehow teleport him and his crew onto the Enterprise so she could take the Serenity on her own. Or even Visa Versa, god help him.

So instead Malcolm turned back to the monitor where the hot headed Captain Kirk seemed to be growing more frustrated by River's actions every passing moment.

"So think you can give us security and support or not, Captain? Our little Albatross has made a decision and shooting her down tends not to be wise..."


	4. Chapter 4

((Author's Note: First of all, I love you all for your lovely feed back. I was a little nervous this wouldn't find an audience so I started out writing for me. But it's good to know even a handful of people are waiting for it! And now for another chapter of : Out of the Cold!

PS: While school has begun the DVD comes out Tuesday...and should be coming to my door. Which means...well, should mean the muses will remain alive and well))

* * *

Zoe Alleyne Washburn was widowed and pregnant. It was not a combination the woman cared for. She had expected to be married. The worst part was she had known before her husband died. She'd found out while they stayed with Shepherd Book at Haven. But unfortunately things got busy pretty fast and she just hadn't had the chance to tell him. His death had been brutal and sudden, with no warning and no time to say good bye. The woman had grown cold in the last seven months as her belly grew. She was eight months along, though the captain thought it was seven. The Tams knew better because Simon was a doctor and River was...River. Jayne had been avoiding her out of fear. Mal tried to strike conversation but when she didn't respond he'd eventually give up to bother Inara. Kaylee had been working with the engine a lot, and probably enjoying her romance with Simon. Zoe wasn't sure, and didn't blame her. Simon did weekly check ups to make sure the baby was safe and sound. Growing well, he'd said last. River was the only one who didn't seem to feel the need to give her space.

River who'd woken up a man from cryogenic slumber just to knock him out. Zoe had no idea what to make of it but the fact was she'd given up understanding the girl long ago. The teen had her own motivations for virtually anything, and that was just fact. She had been wary about leaving the man alone at all, saying she wanted to be there when he woke up. But after Mal had gone off to talk to the Enterprise's captain, River had gotten antsy.

As a result Zoe was now watching him. Securing him had been interesting. Jayne had suggested they just cuff him. River had insisted such measures wouldn't be enough. He was completely strapped to the gurney in the infirmary, and she'd made sure they were tight. When he began to stir groggily, Zoe cocked her gun as a gentle warning.

"Morning sunshine." She snorted. "How you feeling?"

Khan shot her a dirty look, for the answer was humiliated, but he returned his face to neutral. He wasn't about to tell her that. He was puzzling over the methods used to hold him. He could exert enough strength and break the straps. The woman would make a good hostage to free his crew. Either with her own gun or a syringe of some form.

"One funny move and I shoot." Zoe warned warily. "River asked me to keep it non fatal, so it will be non lethal. But it will hurt like hell and I will get you back on that table."  
"Do you know who you are addressing?" Khan turned his head drolly, examining the room around him. A very basic and sparse infirmary.  
"Khan Noonein Singh. Captain is examining your file." Zoe rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Seems River's got it in her head to help you. Captain has turned passive about it. That arrogant blonde boy seems to think there's a force in the verse that can stop River once she's made a decision."

"You should never have woken me." His voice remained calm and collect. Zoe rolled her eyes and sighed.  
"We didn't. River did. She just does stuff like that for no reason sometime. Seems she's got it in her head to help you and your crew." Zoe replied simply.  
That took him off guard, but he didn't show it. And of course, he thought of Admiral Marcus who'd woken him. The man had offered false promises in return for Khan's aid and threatened his entire crew.  
"Help us." Khan scoffed. "Likely story."

"It is the story." The small voice came from the doorway and Zoe turned, a wry smile crossing her face. River was a reader. She knew what was going on in a person's head. "I am not this Marcus. I have no desire for war or violence. I want to people safe. I want to help you and your people go some where you can live where no one can bother you. And Inversely..." She looked up from the gadget she was holding, that Zoe thought wad distinctly advanced tech and pondered whehre she got. "Where you can't bother anyone."

"You intend to maroon us." Khan predicted. "Is that your answer?"

"One way of looking at it." River Tam approached him. "I saw in your head. You and your crew have been wronged for anyone expecting you to do anything but what you have. You were created in such a way it was the logical next move. But I'm also not foolish enough to believe you won't repeat it if you get the chance. Producing the same causes and expecting a different result. Definition of insanity."  
"River, care to illuminate what it is he's done?" Zoe replied warily.  
"Not at the moment. Captain wants to talk to everyone, yourself included, I'll take over guard duty." River's smile to Zoe was earnest, but Zoe suspected this meeting was going to get pretty interesting. However she nodded and slid out wordlessly, only a single glare at the man strapped on the bed.

Khan was honestly surprised by the girl's next move once the warrior had walked away. She moved forward and undid the straps on the bed.  
"No real need for those. I've got a good range on you, and I imagine that's uncomfortable." She smiled softly, her expression confusing him.

"...Right." He nodded, trying to understand what she meant by range as he sat up, rubbing his arms. "So. What do you think my crew and I have done?"  
"You have superiority issues." River concluded. "You take over, oppress, and not occasionally kill people you consider lesser. You'd consider the crew of the Serenity lesser. So while I want to help you and your crew, I cannot in good mind leave you in the position to continue those habits. But the planet I'm bringing you two isn't some backwater ice planet. It's fully developed and terraformed. A few million bodies of the former inhabitants who all died, but I don't think you'll be affected with your biology." She held out the tablet. "Miranda."

Khan eyed her warily and took the piece of tech, which he pondered if was fancier then the ship they were in.  
"It's not. The Serenity's the single most beautiful thing I've ever seen." River said, earning a strange look.  
"The Serenity?"  
"This ship." River replied.

Khan eyed her warily, beginning to grasp the situation, but looked down to the tablet again. The planet was as she promised, fully terraformed, and fairly well developed in terms of buildings.  
"What killed the former inhabitants?" He inquired.  
"It was called the Pax. The Alliance used it to try to subdue the people. Most of them laid down and died." She sighed. "They simply eating, drinking, working, everything just stopped."  
"And the rest?" He looked up. "What happened to them?"  
River frowned before leaning forward and bringing the tablet to another display. This one held a rather horrible monstrosity.  
"They became Reavers. Savage creatures that haunt space. Most particularly around Miranda. They don't stop till their dead, no sense of reason in them at all. Zoe phrased it to my brother once as they'd rape you to death, eat your flesh, and sew your skin to their clothing-optimally in that order."  
"You said they surround the world?" He snorted. "Oh yes, good choice of planet."  
"They took all the ships off world." River replied. "None remain on the planet. And I figure if any saunter down you and your crew are more then capable of handling them."  
"You're right on that note." He looked up at her. "And how do you know so much about me and mine?" Khan demanded.

River smiled again, but this one unsettled him. It was a smile that held a secret, some single thing that made her better then him. She leaned forward and tapped his forehead with her pointer finger. Not a fan of being touched, he moved to smack her arm away but she'd retracted it.  
"From in there." She chuckled a bit. "Oh. One final note."  
"Hm? What's that?" Khan laid back, attempting to feign disinterest.

"The S.S. Enterprise will be escorting us to Miranda because they have actual guns on their ship where as we have one large man and his large gun. It will make passing through Reaver territory considerably easier." She explained.  
Khan tensed and sat straight up, his eyes narrowing and falling on the girl.  
"I am not going anywhere with that ship."

"...They've already beamed the Serenity on Board." River moved forward but didn't break eye contact. She began to move to touch his hand but reconsidered, recalling his earlier reaction to being touched. "You don't have to be scared though. Just as much as I'm going to be protecting everyone from you. You and your crew are under my protection."  
"The protection of a little girl. Oh yes. And who are you to make such bold claims?" Khan asked coldly.

River's little smile returned and she tapped a few buttons on the tablet to relay the fuzzy security feed from her personal battle with the Reavers while Mal sent out the signal.  
"I'm River Tam." She proclaimed. "And no power in the verse can stop me."


	5. Chapter 5

((Author's Note: Weee Feedback boosts want to write. Additionally got word my copy of Into Darkness is shipping. Excellent.))

* * *

She was everything he never knew he wanted in a girl. That was what Scotty knew without a doubt about this girl he'd met. She was wonderful. A mechanical wiz, a genius, sweet, not afraid to get her hands dirty, and it didn't hurt she was stunningly gorgeous. Even though the captain had reminded him she was only on board in order to help her crew rob them, Scotty was thinking more about the fact that she was still on board. And they would continue to be on board. They'd just beamed the smaller smuggler's craft into their Cargo Hold for a long trip, and she was giggling her delightful little chime.  
"I've never operating a beam operation before. How'd it go?"

Kaylee turned from the controls with a huge smile across her face. Scotty couldn't help but beam back and laugh.  
"Ya did beautifully lass, simply beautiful! Ya sure you've never done this before?" He teased. Kaylee rolled her eyes and gave him a shove.  
"Only because you were guiding me every step of the way!" The girl in the olive green overalls replied.

He wasn't sure what he liked better. The tears and grease stains, the teddy bear patch, the shine to her hair even when it was messy, but he suspected it was her delightful smile. They'd debated engines for a good long while earlier, while their Captains negotiated for her 'safe return'. He'd heard the final verdict and in truth the knowledge that Khan who'd tried to kill them all not that long ago was awake should have worried him more then it did. Kaylee had that effect.

"So this girl you mentioned. River." He pulled up a tablet to glance at the Serenity's layout. "You said she can handle Khan?"  
"Without a doubt." Kaylee giggled a bit. "Where we're from, further out in space? There's these things called Reavers. Absolutely brutal. But River? She was able to handle a bunch all on her own. Like, nearly a thousand, at least. And she started out unarmed. She can handle whatever she gets herself into."

"Uh huh." Scotty had caught almost none of it after she giggled. "Hey, Kayelee. Since we're going ta be traveling together for a while..." The map the Serenity had provided to find Miranda didn't have the information they needed to warp drive, so it would be a few months at least. "Ah was wondering..."  
"Oh! Simon!"

Scotty jerked his head up and looked as the crew of the Serenity emerged. A man in a funny looking hat. A very pregnant black woman. A man in a long brown jacket in the lead. And the last to emerge was a young man very well dressed in black pants and a silk vest over a white shirt with the sleeves folded up. Much to fancy for Scotty's liking. It didn't help that he turned and tossed his arms open to catch the girl of Scotty's dream as she pounced upon him.

"Kaylee! You're safe!" Simon exclaimed, a hand moving to his lover's cheek. "Unharmed?"  
"Stop being such a worrywart, Simon." Kaylee rolled her eyes. "Yes, unharmed, you goof." She added, giving him a peck.  
Scotty's heart sunk into his stomach as he watched them follow the others down a corridor. A hand fell on his shoulder and he turned to see McCoy patting him on the back.  
"There are other fish in the sea, Scotty." He stated wryly, though sympathy was in his eyes.  
"Maybe." Scotty sighed. "But how can aye settle for fish when aye've met a mermaid?"  
"Well her boyfriend didn't seem that interesting." Kirk emerged from the side, eyeing the smuggler's ship with great suspicion.

"Jim, shouldn't you be on the bridge to greet them?"  
"Yeah, just wary. That girl River nor Khan have emerged."  
"Is that a bad thing that the psychopathic superhuman has decided not to come on the Enterprise?" Bones raised a brow.  
"Only because I don't know-"  
"Woah Nelly."

Scotty's eyes widened as the next crew member emerged. While he had eyes for Kaylee, the dark haired beauty could not be missed. He practically heard McCoy and the Captain's jaws drop as she emerged in a silk red outfit that revealed her midriff. And the woman was coming straight toward them.

"Captain Kirk." The woman turned her attention to him and McCoy's jaw set-almost a 'why is he always the one'. "My name is Inara Serra. As no one else on the ship seems to have remembered their manners I'd like to apologize for the trouble and thank you for your assistance."  
"I. Ah. No problem Ma'am. Lovely to have you on board." Kirk stammered. "Will you need help finding your quarters?"  
"I'll be joining the crew on the bridge." Inara commented coyly. "Which is where you should be if I'm not mistaken."  
"Wanted to escort the lovely lady." Kirk's lie was a total bluff but he'd come up with it on the spot.  
Inara laughed and looked between them, shaking her head.  
"Very well. Escort me." She held out her arm, contemplating the look on Mal's face already...


	6. Chapter 6

Mal was already annoyed that the Junior Captain (he could barely believe the man was out of diapers) was keeping them waiting to discuss policies. But the tension in the bridge when he entered with Inara on his arm was so thick Jayne noticed. The man was ordinarily quite dense. But he fidgeted nervously as Inara released Kirk's arm and thanked him before joining the group.

"So, first order of business..." Mal began as Kirk sat down in a chair like it was a throne.  
"Where is Khan?" Kirk demanded, looking up at them.  
Mal was reminded just how much he did not like this man.  
"River decided it'd be better to keep him on the Serenity, even within the ship." He replied, thankful the girl had given him something to irk Captain Toddler. "She is also there, keeping an eye on him, and wanted me to turn on communications so she could join the conversation from the cockpit."  
"...Very well." Kirk murmured, waving his hand and signaling to Sulu to turn on the channel.

After a moment River Tam appeared again, this time on the screen facing the bridge. Over her shoulder in the back of the room Kirk spied Khan and he went tense. There was no way he'd be reassured as long as that man was loose.  
"Kirk. Captain Reynolds." River smiled softly. "Good to see you've all converged on the bridge without any fatalities."

Mal couldn't be sure but he thought he saw the flicker of a smirk on the superhuman's lips in the background.  
"Hello little Albatross. You're live and updating both crews."  
"Thank you, Captain." River did someone on the controls and the image of the celestial body of Miranda appeared. "This is Miranda. This is our destination. It is terraformed, stable, developed, and deserted. The ships have been completely taken off planet by creatures called Reavers..."

As Mal knew most of what she was saying, he moved past where Kaylee was cuddling against Simon like a kitten toward Inara.  
"What was that?" He murmured to the companion.  
"What was what, Mal?" Inara raised a brow, tilting her head.  
"Don't get cute with me. You know what I mean. You and Captain Baby Face."  
"He offered to escort me to the Bridge." Inara replied simply. "I accepted."  
"If you ask me he wants to escort you to more then the bridge." Mal snorted.  
"Perhaps." Inara replied. "But that won't be happening."  
Malcolm had just about exhaled when she added a capita.  
"Now, Helmsman Sulu seems charming." Inara added quietly. Mal nearly choked and Jayne began to guffaw.

"Children, is there a problem back there?" River's voice rang and Inara chuckled, shaking her head.  
"Just the usual, River. Deepest apologies."  
"Very well." River exhaled and turned. "Kirk, does your ship have a medic?"  
"Bones McCoy. Who is constantly reminding me his strength is as a doctor." Kirk replied. "Captain Kirk." He added, trying to remind River.  
"Dr. McCoy, our ship's second in Command is Pregnant."  
"That much I concluded." Bones chuckled a bit. "Though Second in command I hadn't realized."  
"While my brother has been keeping track of the progress overall, I'm also positive you have better resources to see how she's doing." River stated.  
"River..." Zoe began to speak up.  
"Just a check up. The baby needs it."

Mal once again pondered the possible threat of River someday taking over a ship. At this point he hoped she comandeered Captain BabyFace's Enterprise.  
"Mal. One other concern." Inara whisper reached him as Zoe, Bones, and River began to debate if the pregnant woman needed a check up.  
"What, don't interrupt your tea party with the helmsman?"  
"No, their Chief Engineer, Scotty, is horribly smitten with Kaylee."  
"How do you even know this?" Mal gave her a funny look.  
"Other then I pay attention, Scotty can't stop looking at her. I don't think she's noticed."  
"I wondered why the Doc seemed so sour." Mal sighed. "I don't see the issue."  
"We're going to be traveling with this crew for several months. Mark my words, this is going to cause trouble."  
"I'm oddly not that worried. Though, if Kaylee and the Doc break up, do we have to keep him?"  
"Mal!"  
"You're right, River wouldn't let us ditch her brother." Mal rolled his eyes.  
"Fine, I'll get a gorram check up!"

Zoe's exasperated sigh interrupted the sequence and Mal looked back to the screen. Khan hadn't moved an inch, and Kirk hadn't stopped glaring at him.

"Vey good." River exhaled. "A final note. Given past conflict and troublesome interactions, Khan will remain on the Serenity under my watch for the majority of the trip. He and his crew are now under my protection. I understand passions are high. But that is my final word on the matter."  
"And you think you can keep Khan under control and on that ship?" Kirk snorted.  
"Something you and Khan have in common, Kirk." River chimed and Mal inwardly cheered when the young man winced. "You keep underestimating me."


	7. Chapter 7

Khan couldn't help be amused by how the girl addressed Kirk. Though he had his suspicions from the video that the Reavers were not as fierce as she made them out to be (she had handled a fair number of them, and it struck him as suspect). But she seemed to infuriate Kirk and that to some extent endeared her to him.

"That was quite the show." Khan commented as she shut off the communication.  
He raised a brow, noticing for the first time toy dinosaurs on the console. He happened to pick one up, noting that the label on the bottom was incorrect.  
"No show." River moved and took the toy from him, setting it down carefully.  
"Protective of toys? Wouldn't have imagined that." Khan stated snidely, surprised to see her react so.  
"Protective of who they represent."

River's gaze fell on him and he tried to see what it held. There was no lack of remorse in it. Whomever these chunks of molded plastic had belonged to meant something to her. Not romantic. But affection of some form.  
"How did they die?" Khan questioned, sure it wasn't someone on board.  
"...Suddenly. We didn't have time to realize what had happened before we had to move. Zoe didn't even get to say good bye." She glanced back to the console, her back to him.

"Zoe..." Khan couldn't say he'd gotten any of their names beside hers.  
"The pregnant woman. The Captain's second in command." River replied, running her fingers over one of the plastic palm trees.  
"These belonged to her child's father." Khan clarified.  
"So did my position as pilot. He was here...when it happened."  
"I see..." Khan paused. "Which one is the Captain again? The man in the coat, the man in the ridiculous hat, or the one who looks very confused and out of place?"

A smile returned to River's lips and she giggled, covering her mouth.  
"Captain is in the coat. Captain Malcolm Reynolds. Independent. He met Zoe in a war you probably haven't heard of from over this side of the verse."  
"You say Independent." Khan shut his eyes, sorting through memories. "I thus conclude the war against the Alliance a few solar systems over. Something about them wanting to control it all, much like the Federation does he."

"Except the Federation does have some good intent." River replied.  
"Clearly you never met Marcus."  
"Because you popped his head like a zit."

Khan faltered and turned, seeing she wasn't even looking at him, nor remotely phased. She'd just gone over what he'd done, how he'd done, as if it were any bit of information.  
"Who told you about that?" He inquired.  
"No one." She replied. "I read it from your memory of him."  
"You read my memory." Khan faltered and then it all fit together. "You're a reader. A psychic."  
"Quite." River replied. "Does that surprise you?"  
"I'm ashamed I didn't figure it out sooner." Kahn confessed. "It puts a lot of your earlier actions in perspective."  
"Does it embarrass you, or shame you? I'm trying to compute that. ="  
"Does it matter?"  
"To you it seems to." She replied simply. "I'm just curious why."

Khan gave the girl an odd look, but the puzzle was slowly piecing together.  
"Have you always been like this?"  
"Like what? I was a child prodigy..."  
"Psychic."  
"Not...to my knowledge." River fell silent. "That came later."  
She said no more on the matter before facing him once again.  
"So. Since you'll be confined to the Serenity, would you like the tour?"  
"I'd like to see my crew." Khan replied calmly. He was expecting some resistance or an all out refusal. He reaction surprised him.  
"It will be a bit of a tour then. They're all over in the ship's nooks and crannies. But I suppose time is the one thing we do have." She began to walk and smiled over her shoulder. "Follow me then."


End file.
